Wrapping up 2014

I had never gotten around on posting about the Philadelphia Marathon, so now I will take this time to sum up 2014 and include that.
 As I reflect back on 2014, it was a great year.  We purchased our first home, and moved into it in April.  I started working at the Army base fitness center in August as a trainer, teaching TRX, Spin and leading 2 running programs.  In August I travelled to Bend, OR for Birdcamp. 
  November 15 I joined my Couch to 5k group that I had been coaching for 10 weeks to run The Drumstick Dash.  I had several ladies complete the race, and I even PR'd!!
 This whole experience of meeting with the group twice a week and coaching them in their 5k training was very rewarding. I am hoping to do another program in the Spring.



Couch to 5K





Next was the Philadelphia Marathon on Nov.23. This was my "A" race of the year.  I had trained quite well for it.  I made sure I got all my long training runs in, as well as running many of those long run miles at "race pace".  I was aiming for a sub 4 hr, time, as well as a Boston Qualifying (BQ) time of 3:55 or better.  The day before the marathon, I stopped by the Expo to pick up my number, and to meet up with some ladies from Another Mother Runner.


At the Philly Expo with Sarah Bowen Shea and Karyn Ryan


 

Race Day started out very well. The weather was great, cold at the start (mid 30 degrees), and warmed up to high 40's by the end.  I felt really great for the first 17-18 miles, right on pace for a sub 4 hr marathon.  At mile 19, I started feeling tired physically. My legs started to slow, and no matter how my mind tried to will them to go faster, they wouldn't.  The last 6 miles were really rough, but I kept moving forward, only walking through the water stops, taking electrolytes and energy gel regularly.  I was not able to pick up my pace, and I finished in a disappointing 4:06:00 (yes, right down to the second).  Although it was a 3 min and 58 second PR from the Napa Marathon I ran in 2012, I had not reached my goal of sub 4hr, or BQ time. 
  Looking back now, I most likely went out a bit too fast in the first half. The pace felt so easy, and I may have pushed it too much while I was feeling great.  I believed I fueled well, taking a Gu gel every 4 miles, just like I had in training.
 I am now looking into hiring a coach to help me in training for my next marathon.  I would really love to achieve a BQ time before September of 2015 so that I can run Boston Marathon 2016. 
 I am proud of my running achievements this year though.  I did achieve PR times in the 5k, 10k, 10 mile, 1/2 Marathon and Marathon.  I was injury free the whole year, and I was very consistent with my running and cross training. 
  I would like to thank Oiselle and Nuun Hydration for continuing to support my training and running.  I also loved having the support of the Another Mother Runner community.  I absolutely love getting "Kudos" from all the ladies on Strava. 
  Here's to a great year in 2015!

 

 

 



 



The Top Ten Reasons Why I Loved the Runner's World Half and Festival

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of participating in the Runner's World Half and Festival.  Here are my top ten reasons of why I loved it:

10. The timing of it worked out perfectly in my training for the Philadelphia Marathon (Nov.23) and for the Another Mother Runner 13.Fun Challenge.

9.  The different race distances made it accessible to family members as well. My son, age 13, decided since he was coming with me that he would run the 5k on Saturday.

Mother-son bonding weekend.
 

8. The option of race day pickup for racing bibs.  I wanted to get there Friday night, but wasn't entirely sure I would make it to the expo in time.  Knowing that I could pick up my number on Saturday was great. This is rare in running events, but much appreciated.

7.  Runner's World Half and Festival app for my smartphone.  This was a free app that allowed me to check the schedule quickly, keep updated on weather, and look up results after the race.

6. Bethlehem, PA: What a beautiful city.  I had never been here before, and the setting was perfect, especially at this time of year for a road race.  I loved running over the Fahy Bridge and enjoying the beautiful Lehigh river, as well as some of the quaint neighborhoods that we had the pleasure of running through.  I also enjoyed the restaurants, especially Bethlehem Brew Works, where I enjoyed spicy fish tacos and a delicious oatmeal stout.

5.  Free seminars offered Saturday afternoon.  I attended Women's Running with a panel of women, including Tish Hamilton and My Life on the Run with Bart Yasso.  I also attended Course Strategy: How to Run the RW Half, which was especially helpful.  Having the route explained ahead of time really helped me to prepare my strategy the day before. It was a hilly course, and it was nice to be prepared mentally.

Tish Hamilton
 

Race director of the weekend events, Bart Yasso.

Editor-in-Chief David Willey

4.  Getting to meet some of the people from Runner's World in person. I have been reading Runner's World for at least 14 years, just a short time after I first started running.  Through social media, especially twitter, I have enjoyed getting to "know" them.  They were all so friendly at the seminars, and even on the race course. 


3. This was one of the most organized, runner-friendly races I have experienced.  From the emails I received before the race, all the way to the finish area, everything went exceptionally smoothly.  There were plenty of helpful volunteers, no lines at gear check, clean bathrooms and porta potty's, and a nice warm venue for my son to wait while I ran.  I stayed at the Hyatt hotel, which was only a 5 minute drive away, and offered special rates for the race.  There was always plenty of parking, as I went back and forth all 3 days.  An added bonus was having Bart Yasso greeting the runners at the finish line and calling out our names. How cool is that?

2.  Reuniting with some of my Another Mother Runner Ragnar teammates.  Karyn and Joan were able to come for the weekend as well, and we all stayed at the Hyatt.  We had fun catching up and supporting each other at the races.

Mother Runners Karyn, myself, and Joan


And the number one reason I love the Runner's World Half and Festival...........

 The Hat Trick.  What a fun challenge this was! I would encourage people to sign up for this, rather than just one of the races.  It allows you to really enjoy the entire weekend race experience.  It includes a 5k on Saturday at 8am, followed by the 10k at 9:30.  On Sunday morning, you line up to run the Half Marathon.  I decided to use the 5k as a warm up, with some strides at the end.  I pushed a bit on the 10k, and came close to setting a PR.  The biggest surprise was achieving a PR in the Half Marathon, on a quite hilly course! I came away from this weekend feeling very well trained and strong for the Philadelphia Marathon on Nov.23.



Elevation chart from Strava from the 1/2 marathon course. I loved the downhills!
 

Some nice hardware earned in this challenge! Plus, a hat, t-shirt and pair of socks! And of course, a shiny new PR! Sweet.



 

So, if you're looking for a fun weekend, and a great challenge, sign up for the 2015 Runner's World Half and Festival. Registration is already open: http://rw.runnersworld.com/rwhalf/next-year.html. Come on, I know you want to try the Hat Trick!